Grieving In The Digital Age: A Short Film Explores How We Live On Through Facebook

Jeff BeerFast Company

celtic cemetery at duck with crosses in foreground

Last year, Chicago street performer Tom Loconti committed suicide. But before his death, Loconti—known as "Plainwhite Tom"—used Facebook to say goodbye to all his friends and loved ones.

Plainwhite Tom's death and its aftermath are the subject of a touching short film created by participants in agency 72andSunny's creative residency program, 72U. The subject of grief in the digital age and the increasingly significant role social media like Facebook plays for the people left behind is not new. In fact, that earlier this year the company rolled out a new legacy contact feature, allowing users to will away their account information.